The provider’s or supplier’s applicable MAC will work to review and issue payments within seven calendar days of the date that the request is received. After the issuance of the accelerated or advance payment, claims may be submitted as usual, and providers and suppliers will receive full payments for their claims. Repayment of the accelerated and advance payments will begin 120 days after the date of issuance of the payment, and is broken out by provider type:
1. Inpatient acute care hospitals, children’s hospitals, certain cancer hospitals, and critical access hospitals have up to 1 year from the date the accelerated payment was made to repay the balance. One year from the accelerated payment, the MACs will perform manual checks to determine if there is a remaining balance. If a balance is remaining, the MACs will send a request for repayment of the remaining balance, which is collected by direct payment.
2. All other Part A providers and Part B suppliers have 210 days from the date the accelerated or advance payment was made to repay the balance.
There are two methods whereby accelerated or advance payments will be recovered from the receiving provider or supplier:
- For Part A providers who receive Period Interim Payment, the accelerated payment will be included in the reconciliation and settlement of the final cost report (i.e. 180 days after the fiscal year closes).
- All other providers and suppliers will begin repayment of the accelerated or advance payment 120 calendar days after payment is issued.
Every claim submitted by the provider or supplier will be offset from the new claims to repay the accelerated or advance payment. Thus, instead of receiving payment for newly submitted claims, the provider’s or supplier’s outstanding accelerated or advance payment balance will be reduced by the claim payment amount. The process is automatic.